Obama administration ponders police in schools

A $50M plan would fund hundreds of officers in public schools to reduce gun violence

By PoliceOne Staff

WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is considering a $50 million plan to fund hundreds of police officers in public schools as part of its anti-gun violence package, according to reports.

President Obama vowed last month that a new task force overseen by Biden will provide ‘concrete proposals’ by the end of January to reduce gun violence, according to CNN.

The group, which includes an array of Cabinet members and government officials, was established in the wake of the Newtown shooting.

“If a school district wants to have a community policing presence, I think it’s important that they have it,” Sen Barbara Boxer told the Washington Post.

“If they want uniformed officers, they can do it. If they want plain-clothed officers, they can do it.”

The school safety initiative, one of several under consideration, would make federal dollars available to schools that want to hire police officers and install surveillance equipment, according to the article.

Biden is scheduled to present his gun control recommendations to Obama on Tuesday, which are expected to include an assault weapons ban.

According to Boxer’s plan, each school would make the decision whether or not to have officers present in their schools.

The NRA had previously proposed to have armed guards in every U.S. school, according to the Denver Post.

"It is unfortunate that this administration continues to insist on pushing failed solutions to our nation's most pressing problems," the NRA said in a statement. "We will not allow law-abiding gun owners to be blamed for the acts of criminals and madmen."